1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to structural supports and, more particularly, to structural supports with increased lateral and torsional strength and methods for making the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Structural supports may be formed from a curable material, such as cementitious materials, i.e., cement, concrete, resins, polymeric materials, and/or other suitable materials. The uncured material is poured into a form until the material cures and hardens to produce the support, e.g., a vertical column. The structural supports may range in height from less than a foot to in excess of 20-30 feet. Typically, the structural support may comprise reinforcing materials such as steel, steel cables, reinforcing bars (rebar), and the like for the purpose of adding strength and durability to the final structure.
The structural supports can be of many different cross-sectional shapes, some of which were discussed in my previous applications referenced above and hereinafter. The structural supports can be used as supports for buildings, bridges, homes, and/or large facilities having innate structural needs.
In many cases, structural supports, such as columns may be built directly upon a cement slab, foundation, or the like. In such cases after being poured and cured, the structural support rests on the foundation. Thus, while the foundation supports vertically downwardly directed forces, the curable material in the foundation by itself provides relatively little support for lateral, torsional, or upwardly vertical forces which may act on the columns. Instead, reinforcements such as rebar are relied upon to provide this support.
However, it would be desirable to increase the lateral, torsional, and upwardly directed strength of structural supports provided by the foundation if it were possible to do so without increasing the cost or time required to build the structural supports.
The following U.S. patents describe various prior art systems that may be related to the above and/or other structural support systems:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,398,412, issued Nov. 29, 1921, to Barkschat, discloses a mold comprising a plurality of separable sections, each including longitudinally extending wooden members and segmental metal members extending transversely of and secured to the wooden members, the ends of the metal members on adjacent sections being in alignment when the sections are assembled to form the mold, and means for retaining the sections in assembled relation, including draw bars each pivotally connected at one end to one of the metal members and having its other end overlapping and detachably connected to the aligned metal member of the adjacent section.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,883, issued Sep. 7, 1948, to Hall, discloses, in a concrete post form construction, the combination of a base unit comprising a pair of facing sections each providing frusto-pyramidal shaped compartments which open to each other, strap means surrounding the sections to connect them together, the base unit having an upper facing socket therein of less depth than the compartment depth thereof, an upper post unit comprising a pair of sections having compartments facing each other, strap means surrounding the sections of the upper post unit and connecting them together, the sections of the upper post unit having a lower reduced end firmly seated at its lower margin in and upon the bottom of the socket of the base unit.
The present invention provides an improved structural support system and methods with increased lateral, torsional, and/or upwardly vertical strength at substantially the same time and cost. Accordingly, those of skill in the art will appreciate the present invention which addresses the above and/or other problems.